Location: United States
Member Since:
Feb. 11, 2014
A. G. Bierce
A. G. Bierce's favorite authors on Smashwords
Smashwords book reviews by A. G. Bierce
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Hunting in the Dark
on Feb. 13, 2014
Five men land on distant planet to hunt what is known as a feathered cat. By morning only two are left, but they "had both gotten what they came for." Listed under the Fiction Thriller & suspense Action & suspense category in Smashwords, I began reading it only to discover it was a science fiction story. It quickly became apparent the story is riddled with grammatical and spelling errors, as well as ever shifting tenses, causing me to question whether it was ever rewritten, proofread or edited. The conversations are stilted and unnatural, the action seems to be contrived and ending left me scratching my head wondering what the author had in mind when he wrote the story. I will be generous and award this one a single star for effort based on the author's desire to some day be a writer.
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THE CHAMELION
on Feb. 13, 2014
Somehow I missed how the black shoe polish on the diamond fit into the early part of the story. Nonetheless, keep writing. Four stars for a great effort.
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A Leap of Faith
on Feb. 14, 2014
A young woman nervously awaits the start of a job interview. As she watches the person who will interview her talk on the phone and ignore her, she thinks back to what has brought her to this point in her life, a life that has recently seen more downs than ups. The woman's name is Carly Ray, and as her thoughts reveal more and more of her life the reader is drawn ever closer to her, hoping as much as Carly Ray does that there will be a positive outcome to the pending interview. I would really like to give this story five stars, but I just can't. Reading the author's biography I was expecting a well polished piece of inspirational writing. There is nothing wrong with the plot or characters, the problem is in the editing, or rather, the lack of it. Multiple grammatical errors can be found along with passages that beg to be rewritten and tightened up. The author's talent is obviously there, but the mechanics need a little more work.
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I Dream of You
on Feb. 14, 2014
A girl, a guy, a bus stop, a rainy day, a shared umbrella. This is a wonderful story that has just the right amount of uncertainty to ensnare the reader in its charming web. This is an author who has the gift of writing and it is great she has chosen to publish her stories on Smashwords, please keep writing.
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Bits and Pieces
on Feb. 14, 2014
What a gamut of emotions this collection conjured up as the words flowed from the page. The poet has a way with words far superior to what one normally encounters in Smashwords. Even if you don't care that much for poetry, this is a group of poems that have wondering what the next poem will be about. Five stars for sure.
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Will He Get Home?
on Feb. 14, 2014
A fight, a morning without making up, a storm, a crisis of separation and worry. Told from the woman's point of view, it is full of self doubt and remorse. While it is a tale told many times, the author does a good job of keeping the tension at a high pitch.
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The Millennials' Quarter Life Crisis: A Generation at a Revolutionary Crossroads
on Feb. 14, 2014
Difficult to review since I am a mid millennial of the prior millennium who takes great umbrage at the way those of my generation are categorized by the author. My bucket list is far longer as I enter my 8th decade of life than it was when I was a 20 or 30 something. Also my health is as good if not better than most current 20 or 30 somethings that I have had the pleasure of interacting with. With that said, I applaud the author for her willingness to so eloquently and concisely present her ideas as to what those who are the focus of her writings should aspire to. It is well written, not filled with fluff and contains an absolute minimum of grammatical and spelling errors. Based on that I will gladly give her 3 stars. I wonder what she will write when she finds herself entering her sixth decade of life with still unfulfilled expectations.
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Open Hands
on March 03, 2014
Ain't hardly fair when a boy goes up against a real man. Great story!
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Dance with Me
on March 15, 2014
There are thousands of stories on Smashwords but very few of them truly rate 5 stars. This is one of them. Read this wonderful tale and you will know why.
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Come as You Are
on March 15, 2014
I'll make this review somewhat more brief than the the previous one. This is a great story story, may the author continue to grace us with her presence.
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Happy Anniversary, Darling
on March 16, 2014
So many of the stories on Smashwords would best be left unpublished, still we readers search the rose among the thorns. This is one of those few and far between stories that makes the search worthwhile.
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A Rock of Offense
on April 06, 2014
Well written story that builds to its ending. It challenges the reader to place themselves in the magnetic shoes of the principle character and asks what they would have done in the same situation. Please keep writing.